The Hindu : HC stays IAS officer's suspension

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Saturday, Apr 26, 2003

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HC stays IAS officer's suspension

By Our Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR APRIL 25. The controversy over the recent suspension of an Indian Administrative Service officer in Orissa has taken a new turn with the Orissa High Court granting a stay against the suspension.

A Division Bench of the Court, comprising Justice A.K. Patnaik and Justice Bimal Kumar Das, today stayed the suspension and fixed June 24 as the next date of hearing. The suspension was in violation of the All-India service rules, the Bench observed in its interim order. The State Government had suspended Hrushikesh Panda, chairman-cum-managing director of the Industrial Development Corporation, last month as per the orders of the Assembly Speaker, Sarat Kumar Kar.

The Speaker had directed the State Government to suspend Mr. Panda for allegedly misbehaving with a Minister and a senior legislator, pending an inquiry by a five-member House Committee headed by the Opposition Leader, Ramakanta Mishra.

It was alleged that Mr. Panda had misbehaved with the Minister of State for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare, Balabhadra Majhi, and senior legislator, Saharai Oram, at the guest house of Kalinga Iron Works at Barbil on March 15.

Mr. Panda, however, refused to appear before the House Committee on Thursday and questioned the committee's efficacy to deal with the issue.

In a seven-page letter to the committee members, Mr. Panda not only denied of having misbehaved with the Minister and the MLA but also said that the allegations were "absurdly false, fabricated and intended to malign him.''

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HC stays IAS officer's suspension